Apparatus for cutting sheet glass



May 4 1926. l

Eh T. FERNGREN Y APPARATUS FOR CUTTING, SHEET GLASS Filed March 51 1924 m/vf/vraq 000? Zf mgren 5 1 Q I gram/ Patented May 4, 1926.

' UNITED STATES ENOCH T. FERKGREN, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOB TO THE LIBBEY -OWEIiS SHEET GLASS COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO A CORPORATION OF OHIO. I

' APPARATUS FOR CUTTING SHEET GLASS.

Application filed March 31, 1924. Serial No. 703,032.

To all whom it may comer n:

Be it known that I, 'Enocrr T. FERNGREN, a citizen of Sweden, residing at Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Cutting Sheet Glass, of

'Which'th'e following is a specification.

This invention relates to the art of making continuous sheet glass, and more particularly to an improved mechanism for cutting or scoring the moving sheet longitudinally after it has been formed and annealed. T

In certain processesfor producing sheet glass, the sheet is drawn in the form of a long continuous strip or ribbon which 15 passed through a horizontal leer or annealing oven, from which it emerges onto a moving conve or or cutting table where the strip is divi ed transversely into sections of suitable size. The edge portions of the continuous glass strip or'ribbon are usuallv.

somewhat thicker than the main central portion, and these edges are often roughupon t enecl or marred by the width-maintaining mechanism through which these edge portions pass adjacent the sheet source. It is: necessary to remove these edge strips, and for this purpose scoring tools have been been provided which are yieldably held in engagement with the upper surfaces, of the moving sheet, adjacent its edges, shortly after the sheet emerges from the leer and passes onto the cutting table, These mech' anisms make continuous score lines adjacent at points in advance of these edge scoringmechanisms, and then lifted somewhat beneath this transverse score line to break the sheet at that point, this lifting force which is resisted only at the two edge points by the downward pressure of the edge-scoring devices and not at any point across the central portion of the sheet will often cause breakage, the line of cleavage running off from the transverse scored line at an angle usually away from one of the sheet edge scoring mechanisms and breaking a large corner section from the cut sheet. Similar breakage may also be caused when the glass sheet is warped, or not as flat as'shouldj'norv mally be the case.

The cutting mechanism heredisclosed is designed to avoid these breakage losses. According to this invention the scoring tools which bear with aconstant yielding pres the sheet edge, beyond the normal yielding pressure grip of the cutting tool and its 0 posing means which remains constan Means are also provided for adjusting the scoring tools and the corresponding sheetsupporting means in and out with relation to the sheet ed e fortremoving "strips of any desired widt from the continuous sheet or ribbon. These adjusting means for the cutters at both sides of the sheet may allbe .manipulated' from that side of the machine where the cutter or operator will normally be stationed.

The objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description 'of one approved form of the mechanism, embodying the principles of this invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the scorin mechanism, the glass sheet'and cutting ta le being shown in transverse vertical section,

Fig. 2 is an end view of one of the cutting mechanisms, this view being taken substantially on the line2- -2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the cutting mechanism for the other edge of the sheet, this view being taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1. i

' Fig. 4 is an enlarged section through part of one of the cutter supporting means.

At 1 is shown the end of theleer or annealing oven from which the glass sheet 2 emerges onto the cutting table orconveyor 3. As here shown this conveyor 3 consists of a series of parallel endless chains or belts,

- each comprising a series of wooden sheet supporting blocks '4, and a series of rollers 5 traveling along -fixed rails or guides 6 beneath the table. It will be understood that this table and the glass sheet are considerably wider than indicated in Fig. 1,, a portion 'of the table and other mechanism being broken away through the center of this figure. The sheet supporting conveyor or table just described is not as wide as the glass sheet 2, and the edge portions of this sheet are usually supported upon a pairof fixed wooden rails throughout the greater portionof their travel. These rails do not extend clear up to the leer-end of the cutting table and are not shown in the present drawings.

. A continuous shaft 7 extends above the path of travel of sheet 2 at right angles to. the direction of the sheets movement, and is mounted at its ends in fixed standards 8 carried by a fixed portion 9 of the supporting framework for the cutting table. The scoring mechanisms now to be described are mounted to swing bodily about this shaft 7, which. serves as an axis of oscillation for the main portions of these mechanisms.

The scoringmechanism at the right-hand side of the machine, as seen in Fi 1, will first be described. Thisis the si e of the machine at which the cutter or operator will normally be stationed. Rotatably mounted on shaft.7 adjacent this end of the shaft is a carrier 10 comprising a central hubpivoted on the shaft, an upwardly extendin bracket arm 11 and a downwardly extending, bracket arm 12. A sleeve 13 freely rotatable on shaft 7 connects hub 10 with a similar hub 14 of a second carrier member having an upwardly extending bracket' arm 15 corresponding to the arm" 11 previously described. A supporting shaft 16 is rotatablymounted in the outer ends of the bracket arms 11 and 15, parallel to the shaft 7 and sleeve 13.

Slidable longitudinally on shaft 16 is the cutter-carrying member 17. Although this member may be moved longitudinally of shaft 16, it is prevented from rotation thereon by' the key 18 engaging corresponding handle 20.

the supporting member 17 At its lower end arm 21 is adapted to supportthe scoring tool 27 which'may be of any approved type.

This scoring tool is held in the lower arm 21 by set-screw 28 whereby the tool may be removed and renewed whenever found necessary.

against the upper surface of glass sheet 2 with any desired pressure. The supporting shaft 16 will normally be held against rotation by means hereinafter described so that the angular position of the tool supporting members just described will remain fixed. However, mechanism is provided as hereinafter described for rotating the shaft By adjusting the compression" of spring 23, the scoring tool may be held down desired position longitudinally of shaft 29- by the adjusting screw 31. At the outer end of supporting racket 30 is carried a supporting roller or rollers 32 which bear up against and support the glass sheet '2 dig rectly beneath the scoring tool 27.

, Secured to the outer end of shaft 29 as by means of set-screw 33, is a crank-arm.

34 having a longitudinal slot 35 adjacent its upper end. A bell-crank 36 has a pin 37 at the end of one arm 38, this pin sliding 'in the slot 35 of crank 34. The other arm 39 of the bell-crank serves as an operating handle. Pivoted to the extreme upper end 40 of crank 34 is a link 41 having a slot 42- therein which fits over and slidably grasps a flattened extension 43 onthe end of shaft 16.

With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, which is the normal operating position, the arm 38 of the bell-crank is substantially at right angles to crank 34, with the pin 37 in the upper end of slot 35, this serving'to lock the crank 34 in the position shown with relation to carrier 10 and hold the supporting rollers 32 up against the lower surface of glass sheet 2. At the same time since crank 34'is locked in position with relation to carrier 10, the link 41 will also be held in fixed position and will-hold the shaft 16 against rotary movement in the upper supporting arms 11 and 15 of the carrier. Accordingly the tool supporting parts will be held in fixed position previous ly described with the scoring yieldingly againstthe upper surface of sheet 2 in opposition to the supporting rollers 32 therebeneath. The entire mechanism will tool 27 held lsn' shaft 7, so that 'none of the weight of the parts will be supported by glass sheet 2. If this balance is not exact it might be preferable to have the supporting rollers 32 exert a slight preponderance of upward pressure against the lower surface of the sheet.

If at any time it is desired to remove the. cutting mechanism from the sheet it is only necessary to swing the operating handle 39 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2.' This will move the pin 37 down along the slot 35 and rotate the crank-arm 34, shaft 29 and-bracket 30 -to swing the'sup-- porting rollers 32 downwardly away from the glass sheet. At the same time the movement of'the upper end of. crank 34 will swing the link 41 in such a manner as to rotate shaft 16 and lift the cutting tool upwardly away from the upper surface of the sheet. The cutting mechanism for the opposite side of the sheet is shown in this position in Fig; 3. By a reverse, or a counterclockwise motion of handle 39, the scoring tool and supporting rollers may again be.

returned to their operating position as shown I in Fig. 2.

Since the siipporting shaft 29 for, the

rollers 32 must extend inwardly for a considerable distance beneath the sheet edge it is desirable to provide anadditional support for its inner end. This support must be so designed as to interfere asv little as possible with the balanced operation of the scoring mechanism as described hereinabove. -The inner end of shaft '29, as well as the outer end adjacent the bracket 12, are rotatably mounted in a pair of similar crank-arms 44 fixed to the ends of h'orlzontal shaft 45. Shaft is pivotally mounted, parallel to shaft29, in the upper arms 46 and 47 of a bell-crank lever mechanism pivoted at 48 to the lower supporting framework of the table. The lower end 49 of the bell-crank bears against a-compression spring 50. The compression spring 50 may normally exert no pressure on the mechanism, but merely resist any abnormal tendency to depress the supporting rollers 32. Or the spring 50 may be adjusted to.

erence will be made only to those portions which differ from the first described mechanism. Secured as at 51 to the left-hand end of supporting shaft 7 is a crankarm 52 having a pin 53 operating in a slot in crankarm 54 which corresponds to the arm 34 pre crank handle 55 at the right-hand end of I shaft 7 the scoring tool and the sheet-supporting rollers may be moved into or out of engagement with glass sheet 2 in exactly the same manner as described in connection with the right-hand cutting mechanism.'

The left-hand cutter carrier member 17 is provided with an upper extension 55 hav i'ng a slot 56, through which extends one end of a push rod 57, having collars 58 at -either side of member 55. transversel of the table and has ahandle 5.9 at its right-hand end. By pushing rod 57 in or out of the left-hand carrier member 17 and the scoring. tool 27 carried there-.

by may be moved in or outwith relation to This rod 57 extends the left-hand edge of sheet 2. Thejcutter is A push rod 62 extending transversely be- I neaththe cutting table and slidably mounted in bearings 63, has fork 64 at its left-hand end engaging the sides of bracket arm 30 for supporting rollers 32. By moving the push rod 62 transversely of the machine the supporting rollers 32 may be moved in orout beneath theleft-hand edge of the sheet. They are held in adjusted position by setscrew 65 adjacent the right-hand end of push rod 62.

With the mechanism operating as above described it'will be seen that the two scoring tools 27 will yieldabl bear, independently of one another, upon t e respective edge'portions of the sheet with a pressure sufficient to cut the score line thereon. At. the same time either scoring tool and the sheet-supporting rollers may ride up or down in accordan'ce with any vertical movement of that portion of the sheet and thus avoid exerting any undue ressure on the edge ortion of the sheet w ich might cause: brea age. Ei-

ther cutting tool and its corresponding sheetsupporting rollers can be removed from the sheetwhen desired by manipulating either of the handles 39 or 55 which are conveniently arranged adjacent the operators working station. Also either tool and its supporting 1 rollers maybe adjusted in or out with relation to the sheet edge to yary the, width of the strip removed from the sheet without it being necessary for the workman to" go around to theopposite side of the machine. Claims: .1. In combination with means for feeding a sheet of glass longitudinally, a sheet scoring mechanism comprising a' cutter member, a cutter-carrying arm, meansfor holding the means adapted to move with the sheet at cutter yieldingly against the sheet, means supporting the opposite face of the sheet, and a carrier for the arm and supporting right-angles to its direction of travel.

2. In conibination'with means for feeding a sheet of glass longitudinally, a sheet scoring mechanism comprising a cutter member, a cutter-carrying arm, means for holding the cutter yieldingly against the sheet, means supporting the opposite face of the sheet,

means pivoted to swing in a plane perpendicular to the sheet.

3. In combination with means for feeding a sheet of glass longitudinally, a sheet scoring mechanism comprising a cutter member, a cutter-carrying arm, means for holding the cutter yieldingly against the sheet, means supporting the opposite face of the sheet, and a carrier for the arm and supporting means pivoted to swing about an axis parallel to the sheet and transverse to its direction of travel.

4. In combination with means for feeding a sheet of glass longitudinally, a sheet scoring mechanism comprising a cutter member, a cutter-carrying arm, means for holding the cutter yieldingly against the sheet, means supporting the opposite face of the sheet, a carrier for the arm and supporting means adapted to move with the sheet at rightangles to its direction of travel, and means for simultaneously throwingthe scoring device and supporting means into or out of operating contact with the sheet.

5. In combination with means for'feeding a sheet of glass longitudinally, a sheet scoring mechanism comprising a cutter member, a cutter-carrying arm, means for holding the cutter yieldingly against the sheet, means supporting the opposite face of the sheet, a carrier for the arm and supporting means adapted to move with the sheet at rightand a carrier for the arm and supportingangles to its direction of travel, means for adjusting the scoring device transversely to the sheet, and means for simultaneously throwing the scoring device and supporting means into or out of operating contact with the sheet.

a sheet of glass longitudinally, a sheet scor 'ing mechanism comprising a cutter member,

a pivotally mounted carrier, a cutter-carrying arm pivoted on the carrier and normally en 'aging one face of the sheet, .a supporting roller pivoted on the carrier and normally engagmg the other face of the sheet opposite the cutter, and means for holding the cutter and roller in working engagement with the sheet or simultaneously moving them out of engagement.

8. In combination with means for feeding a sheet of glass longitudinally, a sheet scormg mechanism comprising a cutter member, a pivotally mounted carrier, a cuttericarry ing arm pivoted on the carrier and normally engagingone face of the sheet, a supporting roller pivoted on the carrier and normally engaging the other face of the sheet opposite the cutter, and lever mechanism adapted to either lock the cutter and roller in working. engagement with the sheet, or to throw them out of engagement.

Signed at'Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, this 27th day of March, 192a.

ENQCH T. FERN GREN. 

